RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – A new report from the Centers for Disease Control found all states are seeing a record low number of teenagers giving birth.
The most dramatic declines are in the mountain states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Utah.
Their teen birth rate numbers fell by 30% or more.
The biggest difference was for Hispanic teenagers. Their birth rates plunged at least 40%, a number the lead researcher called "just amazing."
White teens continue to have the lowest birth rate- about 22 births per 1,000. Black teens saw a big improvement, but those rates are still twice that of whites at 47 per 1,000.
Earlier this year, CBS 6 news reported fewer babies born to teenagers in Richmond. Just over 600 teens gave birth in 2011 compared to more than 900 in 2008.
What's driving the declines? Experts say they can't say for sure.
But they did find the teen drop in the last five years coincided with an overall decline in births which they attributed to the weak economy and couples reluctant to have children.
